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November 7
1800s *1889 - The Brotherhood (*) and its backers meet to begin preliminary work on the organization of a Players League. The players believe "that the game can be played more fairly and its business conducted more intelligently under a plan which excludes everything arbitrary and un-American." 1900s-1950s *1922 - The Philadelphia Phillies fire manager Kaiser Wilhelm. Veteran shortstop Art Fletcher succeeds him. *1927 - Coach Bill McKechnie replaces Bob O'Farrell as St. Louis Cardinals manager, and Burt Shotton moves up from Syracuse of the International League to manage the Philadelphia Phillies. *1928 - The Boston Braves trade National League batting champion Rogers Hornsby to the Chicago Cubs for $200,000 and players Fred Maguire (IF), Percy Jones (P), Lou Legett (C), Harry Seibold (P) and Bruce Cunningham (P). The hard-hitting Hornsby, who posted a .387 batting average with 21 home runs for the Braves, will enjoy another spectacular season in 1929 for his new club. He will compile a .380 average with 39 home runs and 149 RBI. Braves owner-president Emil Fuchs also decides to be his own manager. Under Fuchs, the Braves will finish 56-98, good for last place. He'll be the last manager with no pro playing experience until Ted Turner's one game on May 11, 1977. *1938 - Fred Haney is signed as manager of the St. Louis Browns. *1951 - Representative Emanuel Celler's committee issues financial data from 1945-49 that differs with Walter O'Malley's numbers. According to Celler, the Brooklyn Dodgers made a profit of 2.364 million dollars in the five years period. The Dodgers' "loss" of $129,318 in 1950 included a $167,000 loss due to the promotion of the Brooklyn Dodgers professional football team. In his continuing investigation into antitrust violations, Celler says that evidence in his committee suggests altering the reserve clause in that it does limit players. *1957 - Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jack Sanford, who posted a 19-8 record with 188 strikeouts and a 3.08 ERA, is named National League Rookie of the Year. Sanford beats out his teammate, first baseman Ed Bouchee. 1960s-1970s *1963 - New York Yankees catcher Elston Howard becomes the first black player to win the American League MVP Award. Howard beats out Al Kaline of the Detroit Tigers by 248 to 148 in the balloting. *1964 - The National League approves the move of the Braves to Atlanta but orders them to stay in Milwaukee for the 1965 season, in spite of poor attendance over the last two years. The Braves will eventually move to Atlanta in 1966. *1967 - St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Orlando Cepeda becomes only the second National League player to unanimously win the MVP Award. Cepepda batted .325 with 25 home runs and 111 RBI in leading the Cardinals to the pennant. New York Giants pitcher Carl Hubbell swept the National League MVP voting in 1936. *1972 - Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench, who posted a .270 average with 40 home runs and 125 RBI, wins the National League MVP award for the second time in three years. *1973: **New Jersey becomes the first state which allows girls to play on Little League baseball teams. **The Chicago Cubs trade second baseman Glenn Beckert and a minor leaguer to the San Diego Padres for outfielder Jerry Morales. *1978 - In a controversial selection, Boston Red Sox outfielder Jim Rice is named American League Most Valuable Player over New York Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry. Rice led the AL in home runs (46), RBI (139), hits (213), triples and slugging percentage (.600), and became the first AL player to accumulate 400 total bases in a season since Joe DiMaggio in 1937, while Guidry posted a 25-3 record with 248 strikeouts and a 1.74 ERA for the AL pennant-winning Yankees. *1979 - Chicago Cubs closer Bruce Sutter, who had a 6-6 record with a 2.23 ERA and saved 37 of his team's 80 victories, wins the National League Cy Young Award by a 72-66 margin over Houston Astros starter Joe Niekro. 1980s-1990s *1988: **Art Howe, who played for the Houston Astros from 1976 through 1983, is named Houston manager. **The Seattle Mariners hires Jim Lefebvre as their manager for the 1989 season. *1989 - Gregg Olson of the Baltimore Orioles became the first relief pitcher to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Olson received 26 of 28 first-place votes. Tom Gordon (1) and Ken Griffey, Jr. were runner-ups. *1990 - Cleveland Indians catcher Sandy Alomar, Jr. wins the American League Rookie of the Year Award joining Carlton Fisk and Mark McGwire as only players to be elected unanimously. *1995 - MLB signs a $1.7 billion, five-year deal with ''FOX'', NBC, ESPN and Liberty Media. *1997: **The Tampa Bay Devil Rays hires Larry Rothschild, former Florida Marlins' pitching coach, as its first ever manager. **The New York Yankees trade pitcher Kenny Rogers to the Oakland Athletics for a player to be named and cash consideration. Oakland will send third baseman Scott Brosius to the Yankees on November 18 to complete the trade. 2000s *2000: **Receiving 25-of-32 first-place votes, Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal is selected by the Baseball Writers Association of America as the National League Rookie of the Year. Furcal, the only player listed on all 32 ballots, easily outdistances Cardinals pitcher Rick Ankiel and Mets outfielder Jay Payton. **Sandy Alderson, executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner's office, announces that baseball will try to bring back the high strike next season. *2001 - Commissioner Bud Selig announced that major league baseball would undergo a contraction of two teams, after a 28–2 vote by the owners. Montreal was one of the dissenting franchises. *2003 - Luis García hits a ninth inning tie-breaking home run, as Mexico upsets the United States Olympic baseball team in the quarterfinals of the qualifying tournament, 2-1. The loss with Panama means the US squad be unable to defend its gold medal the next summer in Athens. *2004 - After refusing a $60 million, four-year extension contract from the Boston Red Sox last winter, Nomar Garciaparra signs a one-year deal with the Cubs, the team he was traded to in 2004, for $8 million. The All-Star shortstop, who is coming off an injury- plagued season, can increase the value of the contract with bonus incentives based on performance and playing time to $11 million. *2005: **Oakland Athletics reliever Huston Street and Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard were rewarded for their efforts by being named the American League and National League rookies of the year, respectively. Street became Oakland's closer when incumbent Octavio Dotel went down in May with an elbow injury that required surgery. Street saved 23 games in 27 chances to go along with a 5-1 record and a 1.72 ERA. Only Mariano Rivera's 1.38 ERA for the Yankees was better among AL relievers. Street had 72 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings pitched, and opposing hitters batted only .194 against him. Howard became the Phillies' everyday first baseman in early July when slugger Jim Thome was sidelined for the season with an elbow injury. Howard, who led all major league rookies with 22 home runs, also posted a .288 average and 63 RBI in 312 at-bats. He had 11 homers and 27 RBI in September and October as the Phillies battled the Houston Astros for the NL wild card until getting eliminated in the last day of the season. **With a resounding thud, a 5-ton wrecking ball smashed into Busch Stadium to make room for a new ballpark to house the St. Louis Cardinals. Hundreds of observers lined nearby streets or dotted rooftops to watch the beginning of the demolition to the 39-year-old facility. **Left handed relief pitcher Scott Sauerbeck agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians. Sauerbeck was 1-0 with a 4.04 ERA and appeared in 58 games last season for the Indians, who had the majors' best bullpen. **Cleveland Indians general manager Mark Shapiro was selected Major League Baseball Executive of the Year by The Sporting News. **Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden and former Baltimore Orioles boss Jim Beattie will interview with the Boston Red Sox to replace departed GM Theo Epstein. Births *1932 - Dick Stuart, All-Star infielder (d. 2002) *1938 - Jim Kaat, All-Star pitcher *1944 - Joe Niekro, All-Star pitcher *1948 - Buck Martinez, catcher and manager *1961 - Orlando Mercado, catcher *1968 - Russ Springer, pitcher *1971 - Todd Ritchie, pitcher *1972 - Travis Smith, pitcher *1974 - Kris Benson, pittcher *1974 - Glendon Rusch, pitcher *1979 - Juan Brito, catcher *1981 - Dave Krynzel, outfielder Deaths *1904 - Fred Carroll, catcher/outfielder (b. 1864) *1918 - Mike Tiernan, outfielder (b. 1867) *1922 - Big Sam Thompson, Hall of Fame outfielder (b. 1860) *1966 - Rube Bressler, outfielder (b. 1894) *1969 - Chick Galloway, infielder (b. 1896)